


Living Mask

by InkedMyths



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Blood, Injury, Kidnapping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2019-10-01
Packaged: 2020-10-28 14:30:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20780126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkedMyths/pseuds/InkedMyths
Summary: The Yiga captured two of the Heroes. Help comes from a strange place. And is strangely dad-shaped.





	1. Unexpected happenings

**Author's Note:**

> Live wrote for four hours and this is the result.

There was no sign of him. Hyrule wanted to call out, but that was likely a bad idea. A good way to get ambushed by - what were they called again? "Y" something... Yelga? He couldn't remember exactly what they were called, and right now he didn't really care. There were more important things to worry about.

Like the fact that they had kidnapped Wild and Warrior.

At least that's what they presumed happened. It was difficult to say, since no one else had been there when they'd attacked. Everyone else had been scouting or some other activity when Four came running to them in a panic. He'd gone back to the camp to grab something and found it ransacked. Their gear had been thrown around, and the signs of a stuggle were clearly evident in the grooves on the ground and blood spatters on the rocks. The only answer they could find was a painted symbol on a nearby tree. Time identified it as an inverted version of the Sheikah symbol, and the pieces clicked.

Hyrule wished he could remember more of what Wild had said about the - what was it? Yandi? Whatever they were called, all he really knew was that they were dangerous. Which was kind of obvious.

Twilight had said he was positive it hadn't been just a couple who'd attacked. It would have been a decently sized group, likely with some high ranking fighters. Otherwise, element of surprise or no, they probably wouldn't have succeeded in dragging away the missing Heroes. He had a good point there. Wild had survived a long time on his own, and had managed to evade capture and death by them until now. Pairing him with Warrior, a seasoned veteran who'd had many of his own near misses and escapes, and the idea of them somehow getting taken away... It had to have been an impressive group with some impressive fighters.

Perhaps the weirdest thing about this all, at least to him, was the fact that the rest of their stuff was left mostly untouched. As far as he could tell, nothing important had been stolen. Well, aside from the obvious, extremely important Hero friends- actually, no, scratch that. He might as well be honest with himself. Brothers. They were his brothers, and he was very worried about him.

He wasn't the only one by a long shot. The entire group was on the warpath at this point. He was fairly sure that, given the chance, Twilight, Legend and Wind were going to absolutely tear into the first evil, be it monster or person, they saw. Sky had the Sword ready, looking unusually stone-faced as he walked forward. Four seemed to be mumbling to himself, eyes darting back and forth as he seemed to shift his exact feeling on the matter. One moment it was concern, worry. The next it was anger bordering boiling rage, the kind that made Hyrule want to take a few steps away from the smallest Hero.

Time's feelings? That was yet another thing bothering Hyrule in this whole bothering mess. He'd expected a sort of strong, stoic demeanor. Worried, but determined to right what had been wronged. It was what normally happened when things went south.

Instead, though, the armored man seemed... nervous, almost? There was something there that usually wasn't, and he wasn't sure what it was. Time's hands kept twitching, and he'd been rubbing the right side of his face a lot. Hyrule wanted to assume it was likely anxiety for the two who'd been taken. Maybe his scarred eye itched when he was stressed or something? He didn't think so, though. Something was really bothering the Old Man, and he felt like it wasn't just because Wild and Warrior were in danger.

* * *

It was no secret that he held no love for Hylia. The goddess and her will had damaged his life in too many ways. It had been years since he had prayed for anything from her. After all, when had she answered his pleas? They'd always been returned with empty silence.

But he was praying now. Oh, was he praying.

_Please, let it be a coincidence. A happening. Please let us get there in time._ A mantra, repeated over and over. He didn't care who was listening, be it Hylia, Din, Nayru, Farore or whatever other gods were out there. All he could do was hope that whoever was listening was feeling merciful today.

When they'd found the camp in tatters, they'd all been perplexed but mildly relieved to find their gear untouched. Even Wild's and Warrior's gear was left behind (though that was more concerning than relieving, especially when they'd found the Slate in the corner of camp). Apparently their interest had only been in "the Hero and his companion" and not in the artifacts and weapons. Legend had expressed a rare moment of thankfulness that all of his rings, rods and riches were left behind. "They didn't take anything but them," he'd said, confused and breathless.

That wasn't true.

When Time had begun examining his pack, he'd had a similar reaction to the others. Namely, "thank goodness nothing is gone". But as he'd rifled around, he felt the ever growing feeling that something wasn't right. That something was missing. He couldn't pinpoint it, other than a lingering feeling of loss, a gap in his equipment and conciousness. When he'd realized what it was, it was all he could do to hold back the wave of panic that washed over him.

His pace picked up slightly as he thought about what had been taken and what was at stake. They had to find Wild and Warrior, along with their kidnappers, and they had to do it fast. Before it was too late. Before something went terribly, terribly wrong.

His hand reached up and rubbed the side of his face once more, fingers tracing the lines that matched those on his missing mask.

* * *

Hyrule nearly ran into Sky when he suddenly stopped ahead of him. Looking ahead, he saw that Time had called the group to a standstill. His expression was almost the same calm, collected one he usually wore in times of serious trouble. But there was something in his eyes that didn't fit, an uncertainty and anxiousness. It made him worry. After all, what could make the Hero of Time himself nervous?

"Alright boys. I know everyone is high strung right now, but we need to stay focused." He paused, and Hyrule couldn't shake the feeling he was repeating the phrase to himself. "As much as it may be dangerous to do so, I suggest we split up and search the nearby vicinity for traces of where they went. These Yiga have been excellent about covering their tracks." Yiga. That's what they're called. Yee-gah. A proper name for these despicable people.

There was a beat of silence before Twilight spoke. "While it is highly dangerous, it may be the fastest way to pick the trail back up. Even I'm having difficulty determining which way they went. They're surprisingly good at moving undetected, even with-" he paused, and swallowed. "Even with two wounded hostages in tow."

Wounded. That's part of why they were so worried. If they were taken, who knows what state Warrior and Wild were in? Certainly hurt, quite possibly unconcious. If what Wild had said about them was true, then they might be- no, no, he wasn't going to think about that. He couldn't.

"I don't like the idea of splitting up." Legend grumbled. "There's got to be a better way to plan this out."

"Warrior is the tactician..." Wind said quietly. Everyone was silent at that.

Time cleared his throat. "We won't spread out too far apart. Everyone scout around in a different direction, and we'll meet back here in fifteen minutes." His statement was met with nods, and the group dispersed uncertainly.

Hyrule walked straight ahead through the trees in his chosen direction. He didn't mind being alone usually. After all, he was pretty used to it. Unlike most of the others, he'd spent his journeys alone. Now, though, he felt exposed without the others at his back. The only thing he could think of that was any advantage now was that he wouldn't have to hold back if he used his magic. If he got jumped, he had his magic to back him up. To a point.

The treeline ended abruptly, turning to grassy hills. On the one hand, he could now see a lot more. On the other hand, that went both ways: a lot more could see him. He'd have to be on his guard.

Walking forward, he scanned the area for any signs of people. Nothing stood out. Like much of Wild's time, it was empty and quiet. The only sounds were the wind in the trees, birdsong, and-

Voices. His head shot up as he strained his ears. He heard voices. They were too far away to pick out who was speaking or what they were saying or even how many there were, but there were definitely people speaking nearby. If his hearing was correct, they were coming from over the hill just ahead of him. Quickly, but carefully and quietly, he made his way to the top of the hill.

He peeked over the top of the hill. When he didn't see anything, he climbed all the way to the top. He could still hear voices, but they remained distant and hard to pick out. There were several hills, so they could be anywhere. He held his hand over his eyes and scanned the area. He couldn't pick out anything- wait. There! There was movement on that hill over there. He waited, watching. In the distance, a small figure made its way over the hill. Despite the distance, he could pick out long blond hair and a blue tunic.

Unable to resist, he shouted. "Wild!" He jumped up, waving. "Wild!"

The figure seemed to jump slightly, then turned. On seeing him, it waved back. Distantly, he could hear a shouted "Hyrule!"

He ran forward, all carefulness forgotten. Wild was okay! Well, maybe that wasn't the right term. As he got closer, he could see that Wild wasn't exactly in great condition. His tunic had been torn along one of its seams, and was covered in grass and dirt stains. One leg had a deep gash in it. His wrists looked cut and swollen, and would probably turn a livid purple later. There was dried blood in his hair from what looked like a nasty head wound. His lips were busted, but still turned up in a wide grin. Maybe he wasn't exactly okay, but he was alive, and that was good enough.

Hyrule couldn't help himself. He practically flung himself onto Wild, wrapping his arms around him as he half-laughed, half-cried. He hadn't realized how worried he'd really been until he'd seen him, but it felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off his chest. Wild hugged him back, chuckling breathlessly.

"Hey, 'Rule. Miss me that much?"

"Uh, yeah, just a little." He laughed, wiping away the tears trickling down his face. "We were all so worried when we found the camp in the state it was! We were terrified they'd dragged you two off as sacrifices or something!" He paused, and his smile faded. "Where's Warrior?"

Wild glanced back behind him. "He's fine." Then, after a moment, "Okay, well, maybe fine isn't exactly right. I think they broke or fractured something in his leg, so he's going pretty slowly. But he's alive and will be fine after some medical attention."

Hyrule breathed a sigh of relief. His heart had nearly stopped when he hadn't seen Warrior with Wild. Then, he furrowed his brow. "You're letting him walk along alone with a broken leg?" he asked, incredulous.

"Well, uh. He isn't alone."

"What? What do you mean?"

Wild looked somewhere between confused and sheepish. "So, funny story! We had a little, uh, help? With the Yiga?"

"Help?" Hyrule asked. Then, seeing movement, he looked over Wild's shoulder to the top of the hill. His jaw dropped in shock.

Sure enough, as Wild had said, there was Warrior. Not really okay or fine or whatever, but alive. There was a cut on his cheek, and the left side of his tunic was stained dark with blood, which he had a hand clamped to. He was highly favoring his right leg, doing his absolute best to not put any more weight on it than necessary. His face brightened when he saw Hyrule, and despite his condition he grinned. That wasn't why Hyrule was shocked.

Next to Warrior was a tall man. A towering figure in a full set of silvery armor, he seemed to radiate power. Long white hair spilled across his shoulders, glistening in the sunlight. His face was decorated in what could have either been warpaint or tattoos in rich reds and blues. Most unsettlingly, his eyes were a completely blank white. Between that, the huge sword, and blood spatters, he was a terrifying sight. If it weren't for the fact that he was obviously helping Warrior walk, Hyrule probably would have zapped him and bolted back to the others.

The man's pale eyes met his, and he tipped his head slightly. Hyrule couldn't resist shuddering, and nearly leapt out of his skin when he spoke. "Who... is this?" He spoke slowly, deep voice resonating.

Wild turned around. "Oh, uh, this is Hyrule! He's one of the others!"

The man regarded him. "So... not a threat?"

"Nope! He's one of us!"

"Uh, Wild?" Hyrule said nervously. "Who...?"

Wild turned back to him. "Oh, right. Hyrule, this is, uh..." He paused. "Well, he said he's known as the Fierce Deity or something, but I can't just keep calling him that." He shrugged. "We'll sort out a proper name later I guess."

Hyrule swallowed. Deity? Great. So they'd somehow picked up a god along the way. Wonderful. This was fine. Absolutely fine. "Uh... hi, Mister Deity?"

The Fierce Deity's expression didn't change as he continued to look at him. "What makes you the way you are?"

"What?" Hyrule felt both taken aback and mildly panicked by the question.

Wild chuckled. "It's okay. He's basically asking what's unique about you in comparison to everyone else. Like, what makes you different from the other Links."

He wasn't sure that made him feel any better. "Uh... well, I feel like I'm kind of average compared to you guys. But I guess I'm the only one with like, natural magic and spells and stuff?"

The Deity nodded, seeming satisfied. "Sorcerer son."

"Wait, what?"

Wild shrugged. "He seems to have determined us all, uh, 'sons', I guess? Just go with it."

Warrior rolled his eyes. "Yeah, don't bother trying to argue with him about it. He's very set on this. Now can we hurry up and get back to the others? My leg is killing me."

"You do not need to continue to walk on it. I have offered to carry you back to your encampment."

"And I told you no, I will not be carried like a baby! I am a soldier, a captain no less! I can take care of myself!"

"As you wish, soldier son."


	2. All together now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And now we rejoin everyone else.

Twilight paced around the designated meeting place. He'd went back to it early. After he was out of sight of the rest of the group, he'd shifted into a wolf for heightened senses. It hadn't taken long for him to determine that there was nothing in that direction. Thus, he'd headed back to the spot they'd split up.

However, he wasn't satisfied with this. The Yiga had taken his soldier brother, strong and proud. They had taken his cub. Two people near and dear to his heart, stolen by cruel, twisted minds hidden behind masks. He was angry, but more than that he was worried.

At the time, splitting up had seemed like the best idea to find the lost trail of their culprits. Now, though, it seemed anything but. They were just asking to get jumped by going off alone. Who knows how many of those vile assassins were crawling around? Not to mention the constant possibility of crossing worlds and getting separated. No, this wasn't a good idea after all. Too dangerous. They needed to stick together.

He couldn't just stand around. He had to do something. Pausing, he scanned the trees, deciding which of the others he should follow. Normally, he'd instinctively follow Wild, but… well, that was why they were split up in the first life. He guessed he could follow the Old Man. After all, his behavior since they found the camp ransacked had been unsettling. However, he also knew Time could take care of himself. Legend had an arsenal of items on him. If he was in trouble, he could send up some kind of signal with one of them. Four was small, but was fast, and had his own share of tricks up his sleeve. Sky was the best swordsman of the group, and he had the Master Sword with him. That left Wind and Hyrule.

After a moment's deliberation, he decided on Hyrule. Wind was the youngest, but wasn't to be underestimated. Hyrule was no pushover either, and stood out as the only one with natural magic. He based his choice solely on the fact that Hyrule was the most likely to get lost along the way.

After double checking he was still alone, he shifted once more into wolf form and sniffed the air. It was easy to pick out Hyrule's scent, and he bounded forward. Hyrule, being himself, hadn't bothered to find the easiest way through the underbrush. It was a fairly direct path, only winding around trees when necessary. It wasn't too much of an issue for him as he made his way through the woods.

Eyes forward, Twilight saw a break in the trees. Shifting yet again, he paused long enough to settle back into his Hylian form. There was no sign of Hyrule yet. Swallowing his anxieties, he walked forward past the treeline.

The sprawling grasses Twilight had come to associate with Wild's time were spread before him. A quick glance determined Hyrule had probably gone to the top of the hill. He listened, ears straining against the wind to check if he was still nearby.

The question was answered almost immediately as a mop of unruly brown hair became visible over the crest of the hill.

Breathing a sigh of relief, he called out. "Hyrule! You alright there?"

The wanderer looked down, startled. "Twilight!" Then, he nodded and grinned. "Yeah! I found them!"

Twilight froze. Found them? Was he serious? Yes, it turned out, he was, evidenced as the familiar mischievous face he'd worried about so much appeared next to Hyrule's. _Cub._

As his anxieties dissolved, he ran up the hillside to meet them. He held himself back from hugging Wild as tightly as he wanted to, since he was clearly injured in multiple places. Still, he held him close as he assured himself that he was there, alive and safe in his arms. Even if he was injured and definitely in need of some of their health potions.

"Hey Twi," Wild said as he hugged him back. "Missed you too."

Twilight pulled back, relieved smile turning into a worried grimace. He pulled Wild's face into his hands and brushed aside his hair. "That's a nasty injury you've got there. We'll need to get it cleaned up, along with that cut on your leg and whatever other ways you've gotten injured this time."

Wild pulled away, snorting. "Nice to see you too, Worrywart."

Twilight would have whacked him for that if he wasn't hurt so much. "Yes, I'm worried! You just got kidnapped! How'd you get away? And where's Warrior?"

"To answer both questions, look behind me."

Twilight did so, and was met with a baffling sight. Warrior was there, looking in about the same shape as Wild was. That wasn't what was confusing. What was confusing was that he was being carried, and was arguing loudly with the person carrying him.

"Put me down! I can get myself back just fine!"

"Incorrect. You collapsed on your injured leg as we were scaling the hill. You will only further the wound by walking on it. I will carry you."

The first thing that struck Twilight about the man was his resemblance to Time. His facial features, build, and armor resembled his mentor. But it definitely _wasn't_ Time. For one thing, he was taller, which was mildly terrifying since Time himself was a very tall man. Secondly, he was paler, with long silvery white hair. His eyes were also a blank white, which was deeply unsettling. Despite their distinct lack of pupils, they seemed to be focused on the disgruntled captain in his arms.

"Wild," Twilight said slowly. "Who the actual hell is that?"

Wild shrugged. "He's the Fierce Deity, apparently. Not sure what that means, but he seems alright enough."

Twilight stared. "Okay, alright, stranger aside. Why is he carrying Warrior?"

"Oh. I'm pretty sure his leg is broken."

"And he was an idiot and tried to walk on it?"

Warrior apparently had stopped protesting long enough to overhear his comment, and shot a glare at him. This also had the added affect of bringing the Deity's attention to him. Twilight couldn't resist a shudder as his blank eyes focused on him. "Who is this?"

Warrior spoke before he could. "The country one."

The Deity considered this. "...Country son."

"Excuse me?"

Wild covered his mouth, snickering. "I guess that's what you're called now."

"_Country son?_"

"Apparently we're all sons?" Hyrule shrugged. "I don't really know. I'm 'sorcerer son'."

Twilight stared Wild down. "Okay, let me get this straight: You got captured by the Yiga. Then got rescued by this... god, who has like, adopted you now? Also, why does he sort of look like Time?"

"Uh... yeah, pretty much. Also," he said, looking back at the Deity, "I didn't even notice until you pointed that out. I don't really know?"

All he could do was pinch the bridge of his nose. Of course this would happen. Something absolutely ridiculous, so out there, and completely Wild. "Alright, I'll worry about this later. Let's just get you all back to the others."

* * *

"Where's Twilight and Hyrule?" Wind was bouncing nervously, glancing around. Everyone else was in a similar state of anxiety.

Sky was thinking the same thing. They'd all agreed to meet back there five minutes ago. On the one hand, Hyrule was prone to wandering off, and Twilight may have gotten focused on tracking. On the other hand, he knew the same fear was prevalent in all their minds: that they too had been jumped and dragged away.

A quick glance at Time confirmed that he, too, was feeling anxious in the absence of now four Heroes. He opened his mouth, likely to calm everyone down, when rustling in the bushes caught their attention.

"Hello?" Four called, shifting into a ready position.

"Hey, y'all." Everyone relaxed considerably at Twilight's voice. The tall Hero walked into the clearing, brushing aside branches.

"There you are, pup." Time sighed in relief. "We were worried."

"Sorry. Good news: we're all together. Plus one new person that I don't have a gotdamn clue where he came from."

Unsure of what that meant, Sky watched the bushes behind Twilight. Hyrule came out, and there was a collective sigh of relief among the group. That sigh turned into gasps as Wild walked out as well.

"Wild!" Wind nearly bowled him over in a hug. "Where's Warrior?"

"Here," came an annoyed sounding voice.

Warrior looked very peeved as he entered the clearing. Or rather, was brought into the clearing. Suddenly Twilight's comment about a "new person" made sense. Warrior was being carried by a tall man, who frankly was rather terrifying. Sky wasn't even sure how to react, but Legend's reaction put it rather succinctly into words.

"What the fuck."

A valid question indeed.

"Alright, alright, look, we've found everyone else and there's no more walking involved, so would you _put me down now?_" Warrior said, arms crossed huffily.

The tall man who was carrying fixated him with a stare and _holy Hylia his eyes were completely white that was absolutely horrifying_. If it weren't for the fact that he was carrying a friend, Sky probably would have deemed him a THREAT and drawn the Sword. "...You cannot walk." Stars above even his voice instilled feelings of terror. Who was this guy?

Warrior, however, was apparently unfazed by the voice that resonated like thunder. "Yes, I know that! I am, however, perfectly capable of sitting on my own. I have dealt with enough of this embarrassment. Put. Me. Down. _Now._"

The man nodded after a moment. Considering his appearance, he was surprisingly gentle as he set the injured Hero down against a nearby tree. Warrior waved him away, and he took a step back.

At this point, Sky glanced at the other's to gauge their reactions to this... person. Newcomer. Possibly horror incarnate. The other three who'd come back with him seemed relatively unworried. Hell, Wild was looking downright cheerful.

As for everyone else... Four's expression was utterly blank in a way that suggested he was still processing what was happening. Wind's jaw had dropped upon their entrance, and he had yet to close. His eyes met Legend's for a moment, who mouthed a repeat of his earlier statement. Sky could only shrug back. Then, the pink haired hero glanced over, and jabbed a thumb towards Time.

Sky had never seen the oldest Hero look so completely shocked. Surprised, on occasion, but never to this extent. His mouth was open, along with _both_ of his eyes, which looked like they were practically popping out of his face. His mouth moved slightly, and Sky could have sworn he heard a quiet "How?"

It was at this point that Wild decided introductions were in order. "Hello everyone. I know this is super surprising, but we have a new, uhh... friend. Yeah we'll go with that. This," he gestured to the man with a flourish, "is the Fierce Deity! At least that's what he introduced himself as." He then turned to said 'Deity'. "This little guy clinging to me is Wind, the short one over there is Four, the cloaked dude with the Sword is Sky, the one who looks and sounds like he swallowed a lemon is Legend, and the guy in armor is-"

"Eldest son."

Sky wasn't sure what that meant, but apparently Warrior found it hilarious. The captain was laughing, which was interjected with an occasional "ow" as his wounds protested his movements.

Wild covered his mouth as he too chuckled. "Uh, sure."

Time didn't seem to have registered that he'd been referred to as a 'son', too overtaken by shock. His voice finally working, he managed a sputtered "How are you here? What- I- How?!"

"My presence is the result of a ritual performed by the... corrupted Sheikah?" The Deity paused, testing the description. After a moment, he nodded. "Yes. The corrupted Sheikah sought to use my power to bring harm to you all." His gaze darkened, and several people took a step away from him. "They paid with their lives."

Ah. That must be the source of the blood on his armor. Absolutely horrifying, but at least they wouldn't have to worry about those particular enemies anymore.

"So you're- but- the mask-"

"It appears my powers have been unbound, and I am no longer confined to mask form. I am free to roam on my own without the need of a vessel."

"Hang on." Hyrule looked back and forth from Time and the Deity. "Mask? What are you talking about?"

"Oh! Wait!" Wind exclaimed. "I remember Time showing me his masks! Were you the one with the white hair and face paint and stuff?"

The Deity nodded. "I was confined to that form long ago, only able to act with a vessel. Now I am myself."

Time seemed to have gotten over at least some of his shock. "Well," he said carefully. "What will you do now that you're free?"

The former mask tipped his head to the side. "I thought that was obvious. I will accompany you on this journey and aid you in your battles."

"Now hold on-" Four said. "Not that the offer isn't appreciated, but if you're some powerful being given form once again, why do you want to come with us? Shouldn't you, well..."

"Be doing god things?" Wind offered.

"Nonsense." The Deity looked to Time. "You awoke me from my slumber initially, and showed me world I had missed. I have been unable to properly protect and watch over you until now. I intend to make up for that, as well as watch over these ones."

"Then it's settled!" Wild whooped. "The Fierce Deity has been added to the party!"

The Deity turned his eyes back to the long-haired Hero. "You and soldier son still require immediate medical attention. Sit down." Wild did so, still grinning. "Do any of you have health elixirs?"

Sky swallowed. "I do."

The blank gaze settled on him. "Good. Which Hero are you?"

"Um. Well, officially I'm the Chosen Hero. But I just go by Sky. Because I, well, lived there." This was so awkward. It was unbelievably difficult to make conversation with someone who honestly kind of terrified him. Okay, a lot terrified.

Though that terror was somewhat diminished as the Deity nodded to himself and murmured "Sky son."

As Sky set about gathering his health potions and other supplies and tending to Wild and Warrior, the others acquainted themselves with the newcomer. Or perhaps reacquainted, as Time seemed to be trying to wrap his head around the situation still.

"So you're going to just come with us?" He said, sounding tired and a little overwhelmed.

"Of course. You seem as though you need the support, my eldest son."

It was only now that Time registered the nickname, and his face shifted into one of confusion. Four decided to pursue the topic. "What's with the 'son' nicknames?"

"I have always considered the eldest as my own, and you are all clearly family. Therefore, I have accepted you all as my own as well." He said it matter-of-factly, and almost... proudly?

Hyrule nudged Four. "Your defining thing is obviously your height, so that's what your thing can be. Right?" He said, looking up at the Deity.

He nodded. "Small son."

Four shrugged. "I can live with that."

"Oh! Oh! What's mine?" Wind bounced up and down on his heels.

"So we're going off what sets us apart from each other, yeah?" Twilight said. "I'd assume you'd start there."

"Well, I'm the youngest, but I don't want to go by that. Also I have the Wind Waker! And I'm a sailor and have pirate friends and stuff!"

The Deity considered this information for a moment. "Pirate son."

"Sweet!" Wind pumped his fist.

"Okay, so we have eldest son, sky son, small son, and pirate son," Four listed off.

"I'm wild son, Warrior is soldier son, Hyrule is sorcerer son and Twi is country son!" Wild chimed in.

"That only leaves Legend."

All eyes turned to the red-dressed Hero.

"Oh hell no. You're not pegging me with a 'son' name. I am not your son."

"Well, he has pink hair," Four began, ignoring Legend's adamant refusal.

"He's the most well traveled out of all of us," Hyrule said.

"And a hoarder!" Warrior called out.

"No. No. All of you stop."

The Deity mulled over the various suggestions. "You are a complex one, yes?"

Legend crossed his arms. "Yeah, whatever. I don't do 'affectionate nicknames'. Getting referred to as 'Legend' in the first place is as far as I'll go for sanity's sake. I don't care if this is your 'thing' or spiel or whatever. I am not about to accept being called some cutesy nickname."

There was silence as everyone stared at him after his rant. Then, very quietly, the Deity spoke.

"_Grumpy son._"

The majority of the group burst into laughter, which only grew louder at Legend's outraged sputtering. Even Time was chuckling, despite his own confusion over the scene. Sky bit his lip and tried to stay focused on tending to Warrior's leg (so _that's_ why he was being carried), which was made exponentially harder due to the fact that the injured Hero was roaring with laughter.

"Grumpy son!" Wild wheezed, clutching his stomach. "It's absolutely perfect!"

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Legend yelled, face going red in anger and embarrassment. His incensed complaints were ignored as everyone descended further into laughing at his only proving the point further with his complaints.

For the first time since they'd met him, the Deity's expression truly shifted. As he watched the antics of the Heroes, his eyes softened, and his mouth turned up into a soft smile. "My sons," he murmured. "My wonderful sons."

**Author's Note:**

> Everyone is son. That's how this works.


End file.
